THE brother of a popular Newport man who raised thousands for charity as he battled three brain tumours will run the London Marathon on what would have been his 37th birthday.

Hundreds attended dad-of-two Anthony Hard’s funeral in December to remember a man who set up charity Casey's Cause for his disabled son, who suffers from severe epilepsy, cerebral palsy and spastic quadriplegia.

The RAF veteran’s brother, Mike, will run for T? Hafan on April 24 because of the help it continues to give Casey.

His best friend, Rhys Denley Jones, will accompany him to raise funds for the Bliss charity. They helped his family after his eldest sons, Zach and Noah, were born premature.

Both runners hope to shatter individual targets of raising £2,000.

Mr Hard, who is also in the RAF, said of running next month: “It will be tough. It’s going to be hard but with it being Ant’s birthday it will be an even more emotional occasion.”

The running duo, who are both preparing for their first marathon, have also put together a golf day near Newport to boost their fundraising.

Mr Hard added: “With the golf day I wanted to do it anyway as a memorial day for Ant. We always used to play golf casually together as a group of friends and I thought it would be a good day. Ant was a colourful character and had no problem wearing bright trousers when he went out.”

Leisure centre manager Mr Denley Jones, who lives in St Julians, said he was initially nervous to be selected to do the run but is now raring to go.

He said: “I knew Anthony really well. He was a brilliant bloke. He had time for everyone. A couple of times I have been thinking about him as was I was running.

“He will be laughing when we’re cringing in pain.”

The Anthony Hard Memorial will be held at the Peterstone Lakes Golf Club on Friday, April 8. Players are encouraged to wear bright trousers, like Anthony used to sport.

It will cost £200 per four ball and includes a bacon roll, 18 holes of golf, a meal afterwards, a raffle and silent auction.

Lots include a signed Manchester United football, a Liverpool FC museum tour, rugby tickets to see the Welsh and Italian team battle it out in the Six Nations later this month and signed shirts from Welsh football manager Chris Coleman and Welsh rugby captain Sam Warburton.

To follow the pair's progress and for more information on the golf day, follow their Twitter page, @denners_hardy, and to donate visit bit.ly/1RseG2B.